Signal box



(No Model.) 2 smu -s eet 1.

'0. w. CORNELL.

SIGNAL BOX.

No; 568,335. Patented Sept. Z9, 1896 uomus PETERS on, Pno'rmnuo"WASHINGTON u c :(No Model.) 2 sheets-sum 2.

0. w. CORNELL.

. SIGNAL BOX- No. 568,335. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

1 news Ptrzas co wufaumu. WASHINGTON, n. c.

NIT-ED STATES PATENT Prion.

CHARLES \V. CORNELL, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THEGAMEWELL FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NET V YORK, N. Y.

,SIGNAL-BOIX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,335, datedSeptember 29, 1896.

Application filed December 5 1895.

To rtZZ whom it may concern. 7

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. CORNELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Signal-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object I have in view is to produce a device for permitting theoperation from a distance of a normally-unwound signal-box by what isknown as the auxiliary system, which device shall be simple inconstruction, effective in operation, can be readily applied to boxesalready in use, and Will meet all the requirements of the situation.

The invention consists in the several c011- trivances and combinationsof parts pointed out by the claims.

In carrying out the invention I pivot upon the frame carrying thewheel-movement of the box a lever provided with a stop engaging a pincarried by a wheel upon the break-wheel shaft. The engagement of the pinand stop arrests the movement of the wheel-work, so that thewinding-lever can be moved to wind up the operating-spring and releasedwithout starting the wheel-movement. The windinglever must be moved andset in the wound-up position, in order to enable the box to be operatedby the auxiliary circuit. To enable it to be operated by the ordinarypull, when the winding-lever is so set, the pull-slide is provided witha pin engaging a finger on a turning shaft, which shaft carries areleasing-dog bearing against the extended end of the stoplever andmoving the stop-leverto release the wheel-work when the dog is turned,as it is by the movement of the pull-slide. If the winding-lever is notset for the operation of the box by the auxiliary circuit, the pullslidemoves both the winding-lever and the releasing-dog, (the former slightlyin advance of the latter,) so that the winding-lever is moved and thewheel-movement released by the single downward movement of thepull-slide. To release the box by the auxiliary magnet, a turningspindle is employed, carrying a spiral spring which turns it in thedirection to move the locking-lever and release the wheel-work, whichturning movement is prevented by the retraction of an auxiliary magnetmounted the auxiliary circuit.

serial No. 571,114. (No model.)

upon the box. -When the circuit to this magnet is closed'and itsarmature is attracted, the releasing-shaft is freed from the armatureand is turned by the spring, moving the locking-lever within the box andreleasing the wheel-movement. To restore the parts to the lockingposition, there is mounted upon the winding-shaft an arm having a pinengaging a restoring-lever on the return move ment of the winding-shaft,which restoringlever is connected both with the locking-lever and withthe auxiliary turning shaft, and

moves them both back into the normal position.

This restoring-lever is connected by a link with a pin on the auxiliaryshaft, which pin passes through a slot on the locking-lever, so as toprovide for lost motion between the auxiliary shaft and the locking-lever, thereby enabling the locking-lever to be released by the dog,which is operated by the pull-slide, independently of the auxiliarymagnet. The winding-shaft is also provided with another arm, which, whenthe shaft is turned to the wound-up position of the spring, pushestogether two contacts in the auxiliary circuit and closes that circuit,so that an indication will be furnished at the auxiliary box as towhether the signal-box is set for operation by In the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is an elevation of thesignal-box with the door thrown open. Fig. 2 is a top view of theauxiliary magnet. Figs. 3 and A are edge and side views of thelocking-lever. Figs. 5 and 6 are edge and side views of therestoring-lever. Fig. 7 is a view, full size, of the devices embodyingthe improvement, shown separated from other parts for clearness ofillustration; and Fig. 8 is a cross-section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

A is the shell of the signal-box, and B is the door. 'Within the shell Ais the cylindrical box 0, carrying the signaling mechanism. Below thebox 0 the shell contains the tap-bell, lightning-arrester, Morse key,cutout, and switch, which are usual in boxes of this character, butwhich are not shown. The wheel-work is supported by a frame D within thebox 0. This wheel-work includes a winding shaft a, having anormally-unwound spring I), connected permanently at one end to thewinding-shaft and at the other end to the frame. The windingshaft a hasthe usual winding-arm Pl, secured to its end. As will be understood, theWinding-shaft is connected by a pawl and ratchet with a train of wheelswhose movement is controlled by an escape ment, said train including thebreak'whccl shaft 0, carrying the break-wheel F, with which cooperatethe contact-springs, as will be well understood. The wheel (Z on thebreak-wheel shaft is provided with a pin 6, which engages with a stop fon the lockinglever G. This locking-lever is pivoted by the serewgto theframeD and is normally swung inwardly toward the break-wheel, bringingthe stop f in the path of movement of the pin 6 and arresting thewheel-work. The lock ing lever G is extended above the stop f andprojects inwardly over the break-wheel, its end engaging with areleasing-dog 7L, carried by a shaft 2 from which projects a finger 7;.This finger projects horizontally, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7, andthe shaft 2' is maintained in this position by a flat platespring Z,which rests upon the flat upper surface of the dog h and turns the shaftback to the normal position after it has been turned away from thatposition and has been released.

II is the pull-slide, which is pulled downwardly, as usual, by a hook(not shown) projecting through the cover 13 011 its outer side and islifted by spring m. The pull-slide has the usual pin 91, which engageswith the wind ing-lever, and at its upper end it is provided withanother pin, 0, for engaging with the finger 7t. By pulling the slide IIdownwardly the pin 0, engaging the finger it, will turn the dog 71,which will push the upper end of the locking-lever G outwardly,disengaging the stop f from the pin 6 and releasing the wheelwork. Ifthe winding-lever is not already depressed, this downward movement ofthe pull-slide will also cause the pin a to engage the winding-arm E andwind up the driving- Spring I).

I is the auxiliary turning shaft, which pro jccts through the top of theoutside shell A and into the box C. At its upper end the shaft I isprovided with a spiral spring 1), which turns the shaft in one directionwhen the shaft is released.

K is the auxiliary magnet, whichis mounted upon the top of the shell A.Its armaturelever is provided with a shoulder engaging a teeth *1- onthe head of the shaft I and preventing the turning of the shaft by thespring 3 when the armature of the auxiliary magnet is retracted.

\Vithin the box 0 the auxiliary shaft I is provided with a pin 3,projecting radially therefrom and engaging at its outer end a link zprojecting from the restoring-lever L, which lever is also pivoted uponthe screw g, as is the locking-lever G. The pin 8, in passing from theshaft K to the link 1, passes through a slot 11, formed in a rearwardprojection of the locking-lever Gr. The windingshaft to is provided withan arm M, having at its end a pin '0, which engages with therestoring-lever L as the winding'shaft is turned forward by thedriving-spring Z), throwing the lower end of the restoring leveroutwardly and its upper end inwardly, with the effect of first turningthe auxiliary shaft I against the tension of the spiral spring 1) untilthat shaft is locked by the auxiliary magnet, and then by its furthermovement causing the pin 5 to engage with the inner end of the slot itand push the locking-lever Ginwardly, bringing the stop f into the pathof movement of the pin 0 and stopping the wheel-work. The windingmovement of the winding-shaft a, which is effected by forcing downwardlythe arm E, first releases the restoring-lever L. This permits theauxiliary shaft I to be turned backwardly by its spring 1) untilarrested by the engagement of the tooth r with the shoulder q. The tooth7- engages the shoulder q before the pin 5' reaches the outer end of theslot 10. This places the parts in such position that if the auxiliaryapparatus is not in use and the box is being pulled by the manipulationof the pull-hook the lockin g-lever G can be pushed outwardly by thereleasing-dog h withoutnecessitating the unlocking of the auxiliaryshaft I, the slot it being long enough to permit this movement. \Vhen,however, the box is set to be worked by the auxiliary magnet, which isdone by forcing down the wii'iding-arm E, then the closing of theauxiliary circuit will cause the auxiliary magnet to attract itsarmature, releasing the shaft I, which, being still further turned bythe spiral spring 12, will cause the pin .5 to engage the outer end ofthe slot a and throw the locking-lever G outwardly. The winding-shaft isprovided with another arm, N, projecting on the opposite side of theshaft from the arm M and provided with a pin 10, which, when thewinding-arm is moved downwardly to wind up the driving-spring, forcestogether two contacts as 7 located in the auxiliary circuit, therebyclosing the auxiliary circuit and furnishing an indication, in themanner well understood, at the auxiliary boxes of the fact that thesignal-box is properly set to be worked by the auxiliary circuit.

.Vhat I claim is 1. In a signal-box, the combination with anormally-unwound signaling mechanism, of a device for locking thewheelwork, connections therewith for releasing the wheelwork both by theboxpull and by an auxiliary magnet, and contacts by which the circuit ofthe auxiliary magnet is opened, which contacts are closed by the windingmovement of the driving-spring, substantially as set forth.

2. In a signal-box, the combination with a normally-unwound signalingmechanism, of a device for locking the wheelwork, connections therewithfor releasing the wheelwork both by the box-pull and by an auxiliarymagnet, contacts by which the circuit of the IIO auxiliary magnet isopened or closed, and an arm carried by the winding-shaft for engagingand closing said contacts when the box is wound, and for releasing andopening said contacts when the box commences to run, whereby theauxiliary magnet can be energized only when the box is wound,substantially as set forth.

3. In a signal-box, the combination with the signal mechanism, of alocking-lever carrying a stop for stopping the Wheel-train, a dog foractuating said locking-lever, a trip-shaft normally locked by thearmature of the auxiliary magnet but actuated when said magnet isenergized, a restoring-lever moved by the wheelwork, and a commonconnection between said locking and restoring levers and saidtrip-shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. In a signal-box, the combination with the signal mechanism, of alocking-lever carrying a stop for stopping the wheel-train, adog foractuating said locking-lever, a spring-actuated trip-shaft normallylocked by the armature of the auxiliary magnet but released when saidmagnet is energized, a restoringlever moved by thewheelwork, and acommon connection between said locking and restoring levers and saidtrip-shaft, substantially as set forth.

5. In a signal-box, the combination with the signal mechanism, of alocking-lever carrying a stop for stopping the wheel-train, a dog foractuating said locking-lever, a trip-shaft normally locked by thearmature of the auxiliary magnet but actuated when said magnet isenergized, a restoring-lever moved by the wheelwork, and a pinconnecting said restoring-lever with the trip-shaft, said pin passingthrough a slot in the locking-lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a si gnal-box, the combination with the signal mechanism, of astop for stopping the wheelwork, an auxiliary magnet, a shaft turned inone direction by a spring and locked against movement by the auxiliarymagnet, and a connection between the stop and said turning shaft forreleasing the wheelwork when the turning shaft is released and is turnedby its spring, substantially as set forth.

7. In a signal-box, the combination with the wheelwork, of a stop forlocking the same, an auxiliary magnet, a shaft turned in one directionby a spring and held from turning by the auxiliary magnet, a connectionfrom said shaft with said stop for releasing the wheelwork when saidshaft is released, and a restoring-lever moved by the wheelwork forrestoring said stop and turning said shaft back into the lockedposition, substantially as set forth.

8. In a signal-box, the combination with the wheelwork, of thelocking-lever G, the restoring-lever L, the shaft I controlled by theauxiliary magnet, the pin 5, link 15, slot u, and the releasing-dog hoperated by the box-pull, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 2d day of December, 1895.

CHARLES W; CORNELL.

Witnesses:

S. O. EDMONDS, JOHN R. TAYLOR.

